Posted - 11/27/2010 : 11:02:40 I was perusing some stats for my second favorite team this morning and I stumbled on, what I would consider, a surprising statistic about Shawn Horcoff.

As it turns turns out, Captain Paycheque has one of the highest Shooting Percentages in the entire league (11th out of all skaters) at 20.7%

This one of those frustrating statistics though. My first instinct when I see this is to yell at my TV: "SHOOT!". But then when I think about it, is it because he has an accurate shot? Or is it because he's picky for his opportunities?

Either way, maybe if Horcs could keep his play level up his contract won't be quite as much of an... elephant? Yea I like that.

What's the rest of the world think about that?

The arena wall in chicago should be credited with a goal.

9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)

Yewcandoit

Posted - 11/29/2010 : 23:28:57 From what I remember when watching the Oilers, Horcoff picks off a lot of rebounds.

Utemin

Posted - 11/28/2010 : 13:31:47 He has 5 shots in one game he can't be that selective.

The Monkey is me

Awesome One

Posted - 11/28/2010 : 13:10:47

quote:Originally posted by Beans15

I wouldn't say Horcoff never wants to shoot. I would say it is the exact opposite. However, he is very selective of his shots. He's not a guy to just pile up the shots and hope one of them goes in. He takes smart shots but not many of them.

That's what I meant, he's selective.

There was once a license plate in Toronto that abbreviated "Go Leafs" it read "Golfs".

nuxfan

Posted - 11/28/2010 : 11:09:54

quote:Either they are the best scorers in the league or they are players who are very selective with their shots

Or, they should just shoot more

Until last year, I used to get so frustrated with Hank Sedin. He never shot the puck, ever. He could be 3 feet out from the net all alone, and he'd still look for the backpass to Daniel for the perfect goal, it drove me (and other Canucks fans likely) nuts.

Cue last year, Daniel goes down for 6 weeks, and Hank is suddenly on his own. He starts to shoot the puck more because Daniel is no longer there, and blam! Goals! He has a pretty wicked and accurate shot when he wants to use it. Goes from a perennial 20 goal man to 30 in one season. Then Daniel comes back, and he slowly goes back to the passing centre again.

We always used to think that Hank just didn't have the scoring touch - but it turns out he does. He's just used to playing setup man, and plays that role. But when he finally shot more, he scored more.

TheRC

Posted - 11/28/2010 : 10:05:05 Shooting percentage is one of those rather meaningless statistics. As Beans said those with the highest numbers are either the best shooters in the league *or* the guys who only pull the trigger when they have a very good chance to score. And that can mean they are either very patient shooters, or usually passers rather than shooters, or even just defencemen who rarely shoot, but happen to have had some lucky breaks.

I find myself screaming at the TV for guys to shoot sometimes, but I wonder, were somebody to do the math, just how good of a strategy that would be. To figure it all out you'd need to know how many shots were genuine scoring chances, how many created rebounds, how many of those rebounds were genuine scoring chances, and how many shots were just garbage. I don't think there are many stat keepers that obsessive yet.

I remember Jason Blake a few years back being one of the league leaders in shots taken and and getting something under 20 goals. Taking a shot isn't a good thing when it goes right at the logo on the goalie's sweater.

"If at first you don't succeed, you fail"

Beans15

Posted - 11/28/2010 : 09:50:40 I wouldn't say Horcoff never wants to shoot. I would say it is the exact opposite. However, he is very selective of his shots. He's not a guy to just pile up the shots and hope one of them goes in. He takes smart shots but not many of them.

And often people see a player with a high shooting percentage and will say, "Shoot more." The reason those players have a high shooting percentage is because they don't shoot much. Does anyone notice that of the top 30 players in the NHL regarding shooting percentage is a list of two types of players. Either they are the best scorers in the league or they are players who are very selective with their shots.

Awesome One

Posted - 11/28/2010 : 07:08:49 It means he never wants to shoot, if he shot any more, his percentage would be way lower.

There was once a license plate in Toronto that abbreviated "Go Leafs" it read "Golfs".